Table of Feasts and Fasts during the Year.
FESTIVALS OF OBLIGATION.
In addition to the Sundays, the following are holidays of obligation in every diocese of the United States:
- Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8.
- Nativity of our Lord, Dec. 25.
- Circumcision, Jan. 1.
- Ascension, forty days after Easter.
- Assumption, Aug. 15.
- All Saints, Nov. 1.
DAYS OF FASTING.
Every Day in Lent, Sundays excepted.
The Ember Days, which occur four times in the year, viz.: the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday immediately after the first Sunday in Lent; in Whitsunweek; immediately after the 14th of Sept.; and immediately after the 3d Sunday of Advent.
The Vigils of Whit-Sunday, of the Assumption, of All Saints, and of Christmas.
When a fasting day falls upon a Sunday, it is kept on the Saturday before. To last consists in abstaining from fleshmeat, and eating only one full meal in the day which must not be before noon. Besides this, a collation or light refreshment is allowed in the evening. All who have completed their 21st year are obliged to observe the fasts of the Church, unless dispensed or exempted for some legitimate cause.
Many Bishops in the United States, making use of the special power given to them the Holy See, grant to the working people and their families dispensation from the law of Abstinence on all days during the year, excepting the Fridays, Ash-Wednesday, Holy Week and the Vigil of Christmas.
DAYS OF ABSTINENCE.
All Fridays, except when Christmas falls upon a Friday.
Days of abstinence are those on which we are not allowed to eat flesh-meat. All who have attained the age of reason are obliged to observe these days.
